São Paulo – Braile Biomédica, a heart surgery manufacturing company based in the state of São Paulo, is looking to increase its market share in the Arab country. The company has exported to Morocco, currently sells to Syria and Tunisia, and is in talks with Iraq and Yemen. “Our intention is to cover that entire region,” says export coordinator Lineu Luiz de Paula Andrade regarding the Arab countries in the Middle East and Africa.
In February, Braile began restructuring its export department in a bid to gain international market share. The actions taken include having one exclusive distributor in each country, implementing a larger distributor support structure, and sponsoring medical training events. In the past, most of the company’s exports originated from physicians’ referrals to distributors.
Syria is one of the markets the company has gained a foothold in since it started investing in exporting, approximately two months ago. Andrade explains that at this time, the company is trying to gain a better grasp of the Arab market. According to him, the prices charged in the region are fairly low. “The competition is fierce,” he says. He believes this is so because the Arab countries are located near Europe and Asia.
Braile Biomédica exports to over 30 countries in Latin America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and exports account for 5% to 7% of its revenues. The goal is to have exports account for 10% to 15% of revenues by 2017, according to Andrade. In Brazil, the company holds a 35%-plus share of the biological valve market and a 40%-plus share in oxygenation equipment.
Braile manufactures all of the products required for heart surgery, from valves to extracorporeal circulation equipment, endoprostheses and oxygenators. Technology-wise, Braile is currently focusing on creating the least invasive products possible. The company makes 750 biological valves and 2,000 oxygenators each month. The portfolio includes over 100 product types with various sizes and specifications.
The manufacturing takes place in the municipality of São José do Rio Preto, where the company owns two units, one for production and management and another for storage. Braile Biomédica also owns a facility in the state capital São Paulo, for management and storage.
Contact:
Braile Biomédica
Website: www.braile.com.br
Telephone: +55 (17) 2136-7000
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
